


Health and Reputations

by a123



Category: Victoria (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, One-Shot, Vicbourne
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-25
Updated: 2016-09-25
Packaged: 2018-08-17 03:53:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8129456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a123/pseuds/a123
Summary: Lord Melbourne is sick and Victoria immediately rushes to him. Angst ensues.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own the tv series or any of the characters in Victoria (maybe if I did we wouldn't be going through this heartbreak)

"Where is Lord M?" Victoria said, standing by the window. "He should be here by now."

"I'm sure he is will be here, your majesty. He isn't the type to stand up an engagement," Lady Portman said with a twinkle in her eye.

Victoria continued to stare impatiently out the window, willing his carriage to appear. And, as if by magic, it did.

"There he is! Oh, I knew he would come!" Victoria said delightedly, running over to sit with her friends. She wanted to be picturesque when he walked in.

But it wasn't Lord Melbourne that got to see the beautiful scene she arranged, it was one of his messengers. "Your Majesty. I have come to inform you that Lord M is very ill and will not be able to join you for dinner."

Her world stopped.

"Ill? What ails him? Where is he?" she asked, panic rising in her throat.

"We are not sure, your majesty, but he will be at Dover House for some rest," the messenger replied.

Lord M is ill. Lord M is _very_ ill. Lord M is very ill and she is not there with him.

"I must go to him," Victoria said quickly, snapping herself out of her stupor. "Emma, I need to use your carriage."

**************

Victoria walked quickly through the doors of Dover House and was met by a physician.

"Where is he?" she demanded.

"In the southern quarters, your majesty, but I must insist -"

"Nevermind what you insist, I am your Queen and I insist you take me to Lord Melbourne at once!"

"Yes, your majesty," the physician said hesitantly.

She knew she was acting childish, but she didn't care. It wasn't proper for a queen to behave in this way, but she didn't care. The only thing that matters, the only thing that ever matters, is Lord Melbourne.

On the way there, the doctor explained that Lord Melbourne had collapsed during a heated debate in Parliament, and has been giving a sleeping draught to calm him.

The physician lead her to a door and went to open it.

"I would like to be left alone with Lord Melbourne for some time," she said.

"Your majesty - " he began.

"That will be all, doctor, thank you." Victoria said dismissively. She knew what he was going to say, and she simply did not care.

The physician gave her a look, but bowed and left her in front of Lord Melbourne's room.

_The doctor said he is alright, and that he just needs rest. He is going to be fine, he is going to be fine_ , she repeated to herself, caught between a mantra and a prayer. She took a deep breath and opened the door slowly and quietly.

***************

Her eyes immediately fell on him. He was laying in bed, under many layers of blankets.

_Even weak and in bed he still commands attention_ , she thought, walking towards him, mindful of her heels on the hard floor.

Knowing what the doctor told her about Lord Melbourne didn't make it any easier to see him like this. His skin was pale and gleamed with sweat, and he kept turning in his sleep, mumbling every so often to himself.

She reached out to him hesitantly, desperately wanting to comfort him, but not knowing how. It physically hurt her to see him in such distress.

He turned his head and mumbled something.

"L-Lord M?" Victoria whispered, leaning closer to him.

"....... _Victoria_......" Lord Melbourne breathed, before tossing his head and mumbling something unintelligent.

Victoria's breath caught in her throat, and her heart ached for him. She placed her hand on his cheek, then brushed her fingers through his hair. She closed her eyes and pretended, just for a moment, that she wasn't the Queen of England and he wasn't the Prime Minister, but that she was just a woman and he was just a man.

"Hush now, Lord M. I am right here with you. You just get your strength back. I am right here," she told him, tears in her eyes.

She kept on brushing her fingers through his hair until he finally lay still and fell into a deep sleep.

***************

Victoria was startled awake by a loud groan. She had spent the night keeping vigil at Lord M's side, in a chair next to his bed. She rushed over to Lord Melbourne's side, ready to get whatever he needed.

"Lord M? How are you feeling?" she asked.

Lord Melbourne opened his eyes, looked around the room until his eyes fell on Victoria.

Then his eyes flew open and he sat bolt upright in bed, gathering the sheets in front of him.

"Y-your Majesty!" Lord M exclaimed, shocked into formalities. "Whatever are you doing here?!"

"I was told you were ill and didn't want you to be alone. It is the very least I could do for you after all you have done for me," she said lightly, not wanting to reveal the great sense relief she felt. _If he had enough energy to be embarrassed_ , she thought, _then he truly was going to be alright._

"I mean, well, er, it-it is highly improper for you to be here!"

"It is also highly improper to stand ones Queen up for dinner, Lord M, so all sense of propriety has been lost," Victoria pointed out with a wink. She couldn't help but tease him a little. It helped relieve her tension, and Lord M was just so cute when he was flustered.

"I really must protest to your being here!" Lord Melbourne insisted, still clinging the covers close to his chest. "How on earth did you manage to get here?"

"Lady Portman's carriage, of course! We were all there when we received news of your health last night, and she was more than willing to help me."

Lord Melbourne sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"How are you feeling, Lord M?" Victoria asked again softly, looking at his face for any small signs of distress.

"I am feeling much better than yesterday ma'am, but not as good as I will feel tomorrow," he quipped. "But, I am a little worried about what your frequent visits to my residence might say, what it might do to your reputation, ma'am."

"I assure you, I was very discreet in my travels. And my ladies wouldn't gossip about something like this. Besides, you know I don't care what people have to say about me, Lord M!" she said with a carefree laugh.

"I think maybe you should start to care, ma'am," Lord Melbourne said, looking up at her with a stern expression. "It is time for you to start thinking more rationally about your actions."

Victoria felt like she had been slapped.

Her head snapped at him, staring at him with a piercing gaze.

"You would prefer it if I left, then? You would prefer it if I left and didn't return?" she demanded, holding his eyes with her own, willing him to defy her.

Lord Melbourne held her gaze, and then, as if he couldn't stand it any longer, cast his eyes down. "I think it would be for the best, ma'am," he said quietly.

Victoria looked at him, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. Then she gathered up her skirts, stormed across the floor and opened the door.

"Wait -"

The door slammed shut behind her.

**********************

Victoria's mind was spinning. Her world had turned upside down.

She had spent all night being worried sick about him. She had spent all night pushing dark thoughts out of her head. She had spent all night imagining the moment when those deep blue eyes would meet her own, and how he would smile that smile at her and everything would be okay again.

She had not spent all night expecting to be thrown out.

She had not spent all night expecting that the only man who has ever believed in her, who has ever _understood_ her, had abandoned all faith in her.

She didn't understand. Where did it all go wrong? Did she miss something? Was it all in her head?

_Maybe it was_.

******************

Several days went by

Until one morning, a footman interrupted her reports.

"Lord Melbourne to see you, your majesty."

Her head snapped up and her heart lurched.

"What does he want?"

"He didn't say, your majesty," the footman said with a bow.

"Send him in," Victoria said, her curiosity winning over her fears.

Lord M walked into the room with his head low, and Victoria's heart nearly stopped when he took her hand to kiss it. When he stood back up, Victoria turned away from him and back to her desk.

"What brings you to Buckingham Palace today, Lord M?" she asked formally.

Her mind was racing. What could he possibly have to say to her after he tore a hole in her chest?

"My ego, ma'am."

She could practically hear the twinkle in his eyes, and her heart softened. She turned to face him. He was looking at her with his olive green eyes and his hands were folded in front of him.

"I am afraid, in my state of health, that I said some regrettable things. I truly and deeply apologize, ma'am, for any distress I may have caused you," he said, sincerity and regret spilling out of him. He took a step closer to her.

"I just did not want to be the reason your reputation is put in jeopardy, ma'am," - another step - "or be an opportunity for the government to find fault in your leadership," he emphasized with another step. He was only a couple steps away now.

"I meant what I said to you before, ma'am" he said with a final step. They were only mere inches apart. "Through you, I have been given another purpose, a second chance, and I take this very seriously."

Lord Melbourne took her hand. Victoria took in a shaky breath, aware of their close proximity and the intimacy of his touch.

"You are my Queen, and I do not wish to cause you any harm, or forsake you in any way," he said in a low, husky voice.

Victoria swallowed hard. She breathed in the scent of cotton and musk, and was overwhelmed with the nearness of him.

She stared up at his deep, heavy green eyes and he stared down at her crystal blue eyes, and everything stood still in a perfect, quiet moment.

"Apology accepted, Lord M," she whispered.

Time and place resumed quickly, and they both realized their proximity and pulled away from each other at once.

"If that is all, Lord M, shall see you tonight for dinner?" Victoria asked, turning around and taking in a steady breath.

"You shall indeed ma'am, and I promise to show up tonight," Lord Melbourne said with a smile.

"Until then, Lord M."

"Until then, ma'am."

**Author's Note:**

> You all are writing such beautiful fics and I wanted to contribute to the cause. Vicbourne has consumed my soul and is ruining my life and I just had to write a little something for them. Thank you for reading and I hoped you enjoyed this!!


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